The proportion of households in the highest MPCE class (those who spent more than Rs 1,155 or more per month) in rural areas was higher among the others category of households (12 per cent) than among the OBCs (5 per cent), SCs (3 per cent) and STs (2 per cent), according to the survey.

The proportion of urban households in the highest MPCE class (those who spent Rs 2,450 or more per month) was higher among the others (13 per cent) category of households than among the OBCs and STs (3 per cent) and SCs (1 per cent).

In terms of labour force participation, STs topped the list during 2004-05 with almost 51 per cent of them working. Among SCs, the number of employed stood at 44 per cent, OBCs at 43 per cent and others at 40 per cent.

The proportion of chronically unemployed in the rural areas, among both men and women, was the highest for the others category.

The proportion of chronically unemployed among urban men was the highest among SCs followed by that among the others category. For urban women, the proportion of chronically unemployed was slightly lower for SCs and STs than for those belonging to the OBC or others category."